Oak Ridge Mayor Beehan re-elected by 4-3 vote

Mayor Tom Beehan and Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller were elected to their third terms in those offices on Monday at the first Oak Ridge City Council meeting of December.

by Beverly Majors

Mayor Tom Beehan and Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller were elected to their third terms in those offices on Monday at the first Oak Ridge City Council meeting of December.

Council members voted 4-3 to re-elect the mayor and mayor pro tem after about 45 minutes of discussion and citizens comments. Beehan and Miller voted for themselves and each other. Council members Charlie Hensley and Chuck Hope also voted for the mayor and Miller.

Council members Trina Baughn and Anne Garcia Garland voted for David Mosby, who also voted for himself. Mosby announced his intentions of seeking the mayor's seat last week.

In addressing the standing-room-only crowd in the Municipal Building courtroom, Beehan said Council had voted in the past without discussion. He asked that citizens and other Council members who addressed Council to be polite and civil.

Last week, Council member Baughn wrote a letter sent to local media asking for Beehan’s resignation, citing budget issues, the high school debt and a conflict of interest in the Kroger Marketplace development.

Baughn, the newest member of Council, said Monday night she "had no vendetta against him (Beehan)," but wrote the letter "out of concern for the future of the city.”

She said the city has been in debt for a decade and Council is responsible for successes and failures. She said the city had not prospered under Beehan.

Beehan in his comments to Council on Monday night cited the city's successes over the past 18 months including the Kroger Marketplace development, but also said other positive projects were the Woodland Town Center, the Jackson Square grant, the Alexander Inn initiative, the city's new Holiday Inn Express and the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

"We're at a tipping point," he said.

Mosby said he didn't come to the meeting prepared to speak but asked Council members to "recognize that I have a different style." He said Council should "take hold of the opportunity we have" to move the city forward in a hard environment.

Garcia Garland in her support of Mosby called him a "team builder," and said the mayor's role outside of Council is ceremonial.

Other Council members in support of Beehan said the city's debt was primarily because of the high school debt, which residents voted to support, and that the city had not seen a property tax increase in several years.

Miller said she disagreed with Baughn's assessment of the mayor, stating, "With no disrespect to Mr. Mosby, I know he (Beehan) loves this city even though he was not raised here like I was."

Public support at Monday's meeting was an even split. Citizens who addressed Council in support of Mosby said the city needed a change while those supporting Beehan said a change was not needed.

Resident Robert Humphries said Mosby "is a leader who can bring the city together," but resident Martin McBride compared the election to University of Tennessee football and selecting a new coach.

The mayor's son Michael Beehan countered with "you don't replace the coach after a winning season."

Family members of Mosby and Beehan attended Monday's meeting, including Michael Beehan and MaKenzie Mosby, who in support of her father asked Council to become more involved in youth-related activities.

Resident Charlie Jernigan said "both are excellent leaders, but Beehan understands who he represents."